With the CNN, CBS, FOX and CNBC stories I heard over the past 3 years about Syrian refugees and Mexican immigrants, I thought I had a pretty good handle on the issues. I recently learned a lot more by attending a meeting called Great Decisions.

The current 232 million migrants in the world (50 million in U.S.) is a 300-percent increase from 1960. Migrants leave their country of origin to better their lives. International law states a person has the right to migrate to a different country.

The catch-22 is that no country is required to accept an immigrant.

Population in some developed counties will decrease over the next 50 years without migration, but can those countries sort through issues that come from migration (providing education, social services, health care, terrorism and nationalism)? The world population will increase by two billon by 2100.

Without better living conditions in emerging countries, migration will increase dramatically. An immigrant who is forced to leave their country because of life-threatening situations is a refugee. International law states a refugee cannot be forced to return to their country, but, again, no country is required to take them.

Civil wars and natural disasters have drastically increased the number of refugees. In 2015, there were approximately 16.5 million refugees, mostly located in the Middle East and North Africa. Many felt the Arab Spring was a good thing, but those countries are now unstable. The migration and refugee issue can be solved with stabilized emerging nations, ending civil wars, a functional UN and strong leadership in China, United States, Russia, Great Britain, and others.

Become better informed on current topics by attending the Wednesday 3:30 p.m. Great Decisions meetings at the Frisco Senior Center. Next Wednesday is a discussion about The Kurds.

Bob Cardwell

Frisco